i

i~,1

~ I

"

-:,..

.. ..

"

' .

0 ;.,

'#0.

,.,. ,.

Reservist .surprised by welcome home

~"'''''__''''''''''''''h~

By ALEx

QUINONES

STAFF WRITER

courtesy photo

Army 'Reservist Charle's Marsdlln III stands In front of his vehicle in Iraq. .

METHUEN - When Army Reservist Charles MarsdenIll returned from Iraq last week, he was met by a police escort from the airport, American flags along the road and an overwhelming sentiment of support for the troops. "At first, I was surprised," Marsden, a 23-year-old military police specialist, said, recalling the sight of flags hanging from the overpass on his way home. "I just didn't know people had done things like that." .. His father said his son didn't know people even cared. "From what he told me, he more

expected people just to be going about their daily lives without much influence one way or the other,'; the elder Marsden said. The soldier returned to his hometown Tuesday for a two-week leave. He leaves behind days that peak at 130 degrees Fahrenheit, sandstorms, arm-length camel spiders and strange food. "It is a culture shock," he said. Even though his unit has been in Fallujab - one of Iraq's most hazardous areas - none ofhis fellow sol-, diers has been killed, although some. have been seriously injured. "The main function of my unit is ,combat support," Marsden said. "Right now, job is to keep the

convoys running ... because if (enemies) cut the supply route, our soldiers are left hanging." . It had been 18 months since he had seen his father and sister. He finally made it home after his tour had been extended twice. "When they extended it a second time, we were 12 hours from our flight," Marsden said. "We were standing there, and we had our bags ready and packed." He remembers the event. A "fullblown" colonel walked in and told the group, "We need you guys back in the fight," "It was an order. Involuntary exPlease see HOME, Page A6

our

II I

1111'JJ1M i II ~ So = .J, ,.8 P!' .r! ,tt'J'flit I '!!l fl~: If t till I - '"
I ,

iUUittl"1 rt i

,t

~i'I'Hiil ~
~

.m_
I" ' It
1

nn~'Wf!h'~I'i" z t:ii~iJUj(d~'itH,: ~ r !JiH !!!flij;llull ; hi!! nUlit nn ; s

Ij ~

c;3
~
'j

I~

I'd II ill
I

ll~ '

~b
!!hlUmiH:m

;.~,I.
~~~ ~ ~
Ii .li
~a'i!
Ii ~

ji~U

I, r~~ *'~~ l!.l"

0
('D ('D ~ ~

=-_C7J'.... "

f
('t)

s-

_. I
i I

(5.

fFffi 1 ~f f i
'0

J:Q

...- ..

HOME: Reservist. home on two-week leave

Continued from Page A1 tension. There's no griping about it It was a heavy blow to a lot of us," Marsden said. ''The families took it a lot harder than the soldiers." But Marsden, who has been in uniform since he joined the junior Reserve Officers .Training 'Corps in high school, was proud to continue serving. His namesake grandfather also served in the military as a tailgunner in World War II. Marsden said he supports President Bush and the war on terror' in Iraq. He said news about the prisoner-abuse scandal, the lack of weapons of mass destruction and the anti-American sentiment by Iraqi civilians distracts from all the progress. ''The education system is starting back up. We are paving the roads. We'rr getting the water back up and running," Marsden MELODYKO/Staff photo said. "So we're doing a lot. We are Charles Marsden III sits In the living room of his Methuen home surrounded by pictures of his Immediate' making a lot of headway." family and a pillo.w embroidered with the saying, "Home is Where ~he Heart is." Marsden returned home And Marsden believes the Tuesday from Iraq for two weeks. . weapons of mass destruction the military when the war ends. He is considering getting a libBut that dream will have to wait might still be found. "Iraq is a big country," he said. "No, 1think I'm done," Marsden eral arts education. awhile: On July 15,the day before "I just want to do whatever 1 his 24th birthday, Marsden goes Marsden said he plans to spend said. "I think I've put my family feel like doing," he said back to Iraq. the Fourth of July with his through enough." friends, watching fireworks explode over Lake Winnipesaukee [ in New Hampshire. But he does not plan to stay in'

,I

,I

I,
,. .
.

/: